SALUTE TO NORMA REYES
WHEREAS, Norma Reyes, an outstanding public servant and member of her community, is retiring after three decades of dedicated government service; and
WHEREAS, Norma Reyes' parents came to this city from Puerto Rico for a better life and to achieve their American dream. They settled on the northwest side in Humboldt Park, where Ms. Reyes was to spend her youth. She is one of seven children and the second oldest out of her siblings; and'
WHEREAS, Norma Reyes attended Chicago Public Schools until her sophomore year of high school when with some members of her community founded an alternative high school. The high school is still operating today and has become a staple in the Puerto Rican community; and
WHEREAS, Norma Reyes attended the University of Notre Dame where, in 1978, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Government. Ms. Reyes continued her education at Notre Dame's Law School and received her Jurist Doctor in 1981; and
WHEREAS, Norma Reyes has held a wide array of positions at the municipal and state levels of government. She was an Assistant States Attorney, moving up through the ranks to the Criminal Division, becoming a first chair and eventually heading the Juvenile Court Division until 1990 when she was appointed as Chief Assistant Corporation Council. By 1994, Ms. Reyes was promoted to Deputy Corporation Counsel overseeing Municipal Prosecutions, Traffic and Building and the Land Use Division of the Law Department; and
WHEREAS, Norma Reyes was co-chair of this city's criminal justice committee for the 1996 Democratic National Convention, coordinating law enforcement and prosecutors as well as advising the Chicago Police Department on First Amendment issues and activities; and
'WHEREAS, In 2001, Norma Reyes was appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley to the post of Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Public Safety working primarily on emergency preparedness. The culmination of her efforts produced the Public Safety Consortium. Three years later, she was appointed Building Commissioner and developed the use of GPS as a management tool for building inspection and, through the use of technology, modernized and streamlined the issuance of building occupancy certificates, eliminating a one-year backlog; and
WHEREAS, In 2004, Norma was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Services. In this capacity, she successfully expanded the Taxi Wheel Chair Accessible Vehicle Program whose response time to handicapped people in need of
transportation was praised by national and international organizations; and
i
WHEREAS, In 2009, she was appointed Commissioner of Business Affairs and > Consumer Protection and successfully integrated four departments down to \two departments. This initiative saved the taxpayers in Chicago a respectable amount of money. Also," Norma implemented a small business solution station that provided pro bono expert advice to entrepreneurs in legal, business planning, and financing matters; and
WHEREAS, In a time of economic hardships and the need for government to operate more efficiently, Norma Reyes' remarkable expertise and institutional knowledge will be sincerely missed. She will be a source of inspiration for the next generation of public servants; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Ray Suafez of the 31st Ward, has apprised this August body of Norma Reyes' noteworthy and prolific achievements throughout her unique career; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City .Council, assembled here this 6th Day of July, 2011 AD, do hereby salute Norma Reyes
'arid Her lifelong career as a public servant and fully recognize the void she is leaving behind will be most difficult to fill.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Norma Reyes.
rSUAREZ ^
RAY SUAREZ Alderman-31st Ward